Austin Community College District (ACC) selected 16 faculty members for a new initiative designed to help students build the skills employers and communities increasingly value: critical thinking, ethical decision-making, civic engagement, intellectual curiosity, and effective communication.
The Character Education Communities of Inquiry will launch in fall 2026 and bring together faculty from across disciplines to explore how colleges can intentionally cultivate intellectual, civic, and moral virtues through teaching and learning.
More than 65 faculty members applied to participate in the inaugural cohort, reflecting strong interest in helping students develop the habits and skills needed to succeed in college, careers, and their communities.
“The strength of this year’s applicant pool confirms broad and deep faculty interest in this kind of professional and intellectual community,” says Arun John, ACC Character Education Initiative co-lead. “While the current cohort is intentionally limited to ensure a focused experience, the initiative is designed to grow. ACC’s LEAD [Liberal Education Advancement and Development] program has already established communities of practice across the College, and as these two efforts converge, we expect to open participation to more faculty in the years ahead.”
The Communities of Inquiry build on the work of the Character Education Faculty Institute, which has been meeting throughout spring 2026, focusing on the College’s commitment to student success and preparing students for a rapidly changing workforce where adaptability, collaboration, ethical leadership, and critical thinking are increasingly important.
The initiative is supported by an ECI 2025 Institutional Impact Grant of $781,200 from Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character. ACC is one of only two community colleges in the nation selected to receive the competitive award.
Faculty in the yearlong program will participate in collaborative learning communities, peer observations, and professional development focused on integrating character education principles into the classroom experience.
Meet the Cohort
Communities of Inquiry Faculty
- Lexi Allison | Humanities
- Andrew Costigan | Student Development
- Amy Cunningham | Composition & Literary Studies
- Ping Chu | Psychology
- Chelsey Dankenbring | Biology
- Kristina Elizondo | Art History
- Parichehr Fariborz | Mathematics
- Aran Gharibpour | Philosophy
- Tao Huang | Government
- Carrie Kaplan | Drama
- Jack McDonald | Government
- Susan Meigs | Composition & Literary Studies
- Rebel Sanders | Biology
- Andrea Dawn Tawwater | Sociology
- Ariel Taylor | Mathematics
- Marcel Pons Ventura | Spanish-World Languages
Institute Faculty
- Jamie Cantu | Biology
- Laura Cortes-Franco | Student Development
- Dania Dwyer | Composition & Literary Studies
- Melissa Foote | Philosophy
- Kathy Frost | Psychology
- Bryan Port | History
- Eli Ryder | Creative Writing
- Marilyn Wells | Physics
ACC’s Character Education Initiative is co-led by:
- Kelly Greenwood, Mathematics Faculty;
- Ted Hadzi-Antich Jr., Government Faculty; and
- Arun John, English Faculty; with
- Grant Potts, Dean of Curriculum Management, serving as project advisor.
Tags: Character Education Communities of Inquiry, Communities of Inquiry
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